Recollections

Pilton

1.

Donald Grant
Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

1950s and 1960s

Our House

Bruce Peebles

Clan Grant Standard

2.

Betty Fraser (nee Simpson)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

1930s

School at Pilton

Jimmy Letham
Elizabeth Vale, South Australia

1940s

Move to West Pilton

The 'Shack'

Football

Apprenticeship and Army

Emigration

Jimmy's Address

Glads Dodd

with reply from

Phil Wilson
Aberdeen, Scotland

Ferry Road Drive

Phil Wilson
Aberdeen, Scotland

with reply from

Steven Oliver
Borders, Scotland

The 'Shack'

Edward Thomson
Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland

TA Unit -519 Regiment

Brian Swanney
Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Mactaggart & Mickel houses

Gumley

Football

Wardie School

Steven Oliver
Borders, Scotland

Mactaggart & Mickel houses

Gumley

Football

Wardie School

9.

Betty Fraser (nee Simpson)
Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Embassy Picture Theatre

Recollections

1.

Donald Grant

Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland

Thank you to Donald Grant who sent me the comments below.

Donald wrote:

1950s and 1960s

Our House

When I was looking through your site the other night, I spotted this picture of Pilton Station.

Pilton Station

  ©

Please click on this picture to enlarge it.)

If you look under the bridge you can see a house in the distance. That was the house I lived in at Boswall Avenue!

I'm delighted to have found that photo.

Bruce Peebles

The house faces up Boswall Place toward the private sidings of Bruce Peebles. My mother was a cleaner in the offices at Bruce Peebles for a time in the late 50s or possibly early 60s.

There was a major fire at the Bruce Peebles factory in 1999 and the factory at Pilton, Edinburgh, never re-opened.  Much of the land is now being redeveloped as housing.  -  Peter Stubbs

Clan Grant Standard

I have a photo in the house somewhere of my father that may be of interest to you. It was taken in the fifties and shows him with the Clan Grant standard.

I was told by my late mother that my father was the standard bearer for the Clan Grant at the International Gathering Of The Clans in Edinburgh (1956?).

Donald Grant, Penicuik, Midlothian, Scotland:  January 27, 2006

Recollections

2.

Betty Fraser (nee Simpson)

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Thank you to Betty Fraser, nee Simpson, for adding a comments to the EdinPhoto guest book.

Betty wrote:

1930s

School at Pilton

"My first school was in Broughton Road, near Canonmills.

 When we moved to Granton, my school was at Pilton.  All I can remember from there  were yellow blackboards and purple chalk.  The nicest teacher was a Miss Ritchie.

Why can I remember something like that seventy odd years' later? I wonder if anyone else has a similar memory.

I'm not even sure of the location of the school but it must have been in walking distance from Royston Mains Road.  There was no  'driving the kids to school' in those days.

Betty Fraser:  Sydney, New South Wales, Australia:  August 20, 2006

Recollections

3.

Jimmy Letham

Elizabeth Vale, South Australia

Thank you to Jimmy Letham, South Australia, who wrote:

1940s

Move to West Pilton

"My family moved from Dundee Street, Fountainbridge, to 50 Ferry Rd Drive, West Pilton in the Spring of 1943.

I attended Pennywell School until 1945 then went on to Leith Academy until 1947."

The Shack

"I noticed that everyone has been mentioning The Embassy picture house but no one has mentioned the wooden building that we called 'The Shack' .  It was between the Embassy and St Margaret Mary's Chapel.

It was the place I learned to dance in  and was a popular Saturday night spot for teenagers.  I started to learn dancing when I was 13.  I went to the 'Shack' then to the 'Academy' (Edinburgh Academy YMCA Stockbridge) when it gained prominence over the 'Shack' in about 1948.

The Royston lassies I remember most were, Margaret Carty and Mollie Wallis. The only fella I can think of was Jimmy Jamieson.  He was my classmate at Leith Academy and lived, I think, in Granton Medway. The auld heid is letting me down memory wise regarding names."

Football

"I also remember the hard football matches played, each Sunday, on the waste ground at the side of the gasworks

I was the only Protestant who was playing fitba' for St Margaret Mary's.  I was goalkeeper.

Later on, when the Edinburgh Academy Boys Club closed down, I became a founder member of St Bernard's amateur football club in Stockbridge ."

Apprenticeship and Army

"I served my time as a painter with AC Woods and Son, 114 Pitt St. Edinburgh.  On finishing my apprenticeship in November 1952 I joined the Argyll's and stayed with them for twenty two years reaching the rank of Warrant Officer."

Emigration

"When I left the army, I came direct to Australia from West Germany. 

I have never looked back, though now I go home every two years for re-unions. I always go around West Pilton and Granton. These are the places which had the greatest impact on my life and I assure you the memories are simply wonderful."

Jimmy Letham, Elizabeth Vale, South Australia:  November 5, 2006.

Jimmy's Address

Jimmy has given me his e-mail address and postal address to pass on to anybody who would like to contact him.

In particular, Jimmy says:

"I have been hoping to contact an old friend, Ella Ramsay from Crewe Rd North.  She married Walter ? in 1953/4 ? and they had a wee girl.

If Ella or anybody else would like to contact Jimmy, please e-mail me and ask me for the contact details.

-  Peter Stubbs

Recollections

4.

Glads Dodd

Thank you to Glads Dodd who sent me the following message.

Glads wrote:

50 Ferry Road Drive

"I was very interested to read the article posted by Jimmy Letham.  He will not remember me but I also lived at 50 Ferry Road Drive and was the youngest member of the Scott family who lived below Jimmy's mother's home.  Jimmy will most likely remember my older sisters, Betty and Agnes. 

Mrs Letham by all accounts saved my life when I nearly choked to death as a child. Christine Letham and Cathy Telford (next door to the Letham family) were amongst my best friends and we had some grand times as children, going to Murrayfield Ice Rink etc. 

Please pass on my regards to Jimmy."  

Glads Dodd:  March 15, 2007

Glads:  I've passed on your message and your e-mail address to Jimmy Letham.  I hope you hear from him soon.

 -  Peter Stubbs:  March 15, 2007

Reply to

4.

Phil Wilson

Aberdeen, Scotland

Thank you to Phil Wilson for adding this comment to he EdinPhoto web GuestBook.

Phil wrote:

The Shack

"Reading the comments by Jimmy Letham about 'The Shack' dance hall on Boswall Parkway, I wonder if it is the small wooden building next to the Embassy Cinema (looking very white) in this marvellous aerial photo, which seems to have been taken around 1960-61.

Quite a few other landmarks are clearly visible from the photo, and I'm only sorry that my house seems to be out of shot.  I wonder if any other shots like this survive of the rest of the area?

Phil Wilson,  November 7, 2006

More Aerial Photos

 I like the aerial photo.

I think the aerial photo probably does include "The Shack" (top-centre)  but it would easier to decide if we could see a higher resolution image of it.

The RCAHMS (the Royal Commission on the Ancient & Historic Monuments of Scotland) has a very large collection of aerial photographs in their offices in Edinburgh.  They will certainly have some that show your old house in their collection.

RCAHMS may also hold the original negative of the aerial photo that you mention above, and be able to date that photo.  If I discover anything more about it, I'll let you know.

Peter Stubbs.  November 7, 2006.

Recollections

5.

Phil Wilson

Aberdeen, Scotland

Phil Wilson wrote again about the aerial photograph of Pilton. 

Unfortunately, for copyright reasons, I'm not able to reproduce the photo on this page, but clicking the link below should take you to it.  -  Peter Stubbs

Phil wrote:

Aerial Photo  -  1961?

"Despite the fact that the 'Comments' spot for the aerial photo is now empty, the photo had several comments made about it when I originally discovered it a year or two ago, especially one from Donald Grant of Penicuik, after I alerted him to it, and whose dating of the photo I relied on.

Donald's house in Boswall Avenue is visible at centre bottom of the photo.  He made lengthy comment at the time, dating the snap as 1961 or possibly earlier.  Regrettably the cars in the photo are not sharp enough to provide a more accurate date."

Bruce Peebles' Pond

"I can see the Bruce Peebles pond, where we caught newts when I was very young, and my grandparents' house at 3 Boswall Place. I'd dearly love a copy of one showing my house, since my memory of layouts and places is fading fast, I'm afraid.

 I used to rely on my late brother, who had an almost photographic memory for details and characters."

Phil Wilson:  November 8, 2006

Recollections

6.

Edward Thomson

Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland

Thank you to Edward Thomson, Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland for the following message and photographs:

Ed wrote:

TA Unit  -  519 Regiment

Annual Camps

"Annual Camps took us to such exotic paces as:

-   Stiffkey in Norfolk,
-   Tonfanau in North Wales,
-   Newquay in Cornwall,
-   Bude."

Newquay

   ©

Social Mix

"The great thing about the TA Camps was the 'social mix', West Pilton, Royston, Pennywell and further, Linlithgow and South Queensferry all had members in the Regiment.

There were Bankers, Minister of Religion, Lorry Drivers, Scaffolders and Motor Mechanics to name but a few.

All this with young ex-servicemen who had seen Warfare and still were under 20 and wanted to retain the comradeship and contribute their experience."

Edward Thomson, Glamis Castle, Angus, Scotland:  May 2006

Recollections

7.

Brian Swanney

Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand

Thank you to Brian Swanney, New Zealand, who wrote:

Questions

Mactaggart & Mickel houses

"I was brought up in 16 Crewe Crescent from 1952 until 1977 so the information on the area is fascinating to read. Does anyone had any more information on the Mactaggart & Mickel houses or knew of any online information sources?

I'm looking for historical things such as precisely when, and in what order, the estate was developed, and what the build costs and the initial rental costs would have been.

My parents married in 1938 and, though I don’t know for sure, I imagine they may have moved directly into Crewe Crescent at that time seeing as they were built in the 1930’s. I'm Looking for any little bit of information to help add detail to our family homes.  I also had aunt, uncle and cousins living at 79 Pilton Place.

I never bothered to ask at the time and now of course.  I wish I had – sadly that is always the way."

Brian Swanney, New Zealand:  June 9, 2008

Reply

Development of the Estate

I don't know exactly when the houses were built, but these are the years that the streets were named.

That should give an indication of when the Boswall, Pilton, Royston and Crewe areas to the north of Ferry Road were developed:

Peter Stubbs, Edinburgh:  June 14, 2008

Brian Swanney also wrote:

Gumley

"I remember Gumley being the rental agent or factor.  There was a maintenance shed in a row of lock-up garages on the SW corner of the intersection of Pilton Drive and Pilton Avenue (on the corner of the Ainslie Park grounds facing Bruce Peebles).  I'm not sure if that was run by Gumley or Mactaggart & Mickel ."

Football

"We had many great childhood kick-a-bouts on Pilton Park, occasionally on the pitches, but more usually just around the edges with a tree for one post and a jersey or two for the other!

Very occasionally, we’d sneak a wee goalmouth session on the Edinburgh City grounds because they sometimes had nets left up and that made it really special!."

Wardie School

"I attended Wardie primary school from 1957 until around 1963 and the recollections on the site brought back more than a few memories of that time.

I began to write down a few of my own to send in but never quite got enough courage to do so! The recollections of Paul Johnson were particularly relevant and humorous! It is all the little recollections of individuals that spark off wider memories of others and stimulates contribution, so maybe I should."

Brian Swanney, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand:  June 9, 2008

More Pages

TA Unit    -    519 Regiment

Photos

   ©

West Pilton Camp  -  1949

   ©

RAF Turnhouse  -  1949

   ©

Bogged-down on the beach
Newquay Camp  -  1951

©

Pilton + Granton REME boys
Newquay Camp  -  1951

 Recollections

Life in the 519 Regiment

Annual Camps

Edinburgh Tattoo